The Hunger Games: Peeta's Perspective
by sunshinemellark
Summary: This is how I believe the story would have gone if it was written in Peeta's point of view. Most of the dialogue is straight from the book but the rest is my own. I may do Catching Fire and Mockingjay as well if people like this. Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games or anything like that.
1. Chapter 1

**I awake to the sound of pans banging together. Any other day my father would have awaken me and put me to work in the bakery by now. Not today though. Today is Reaping Day.**

**It's always unbearable seeing kids that are my friends, or that I pass by in school, being sent off to the games each year to die. Our district, district twelve, never wins. We have had two victors in 73 years. Only one is still alive today. His name is Haymitch Abernathy and he is the town drunk. I'm sure that's the main reason we don't have any other victors. He is their mentor.**

**It is seven o'clock. The reaping begins at two. There is no way I am just going to sit here and wonder whose name will be drawn. I need to work on something. As I'm coming down the squeaky wooden staircase I hear my father talking with someone. I walk in to see him trading a loaf of freshly baked bread for a squirrel. That seems fair enough to me. **

**It takes me a moment but I put a name to the face of the customer. It is Gale Hawthorne. I cannot really say that I have ever spoken to him, yet I know him well. He's friends with **_**her**_**.**

**Katniss Everdeen. The girl who's mother my father wanted to marry. The girl who I watch everyday at school. The girl to whom I once threw bread I purposely burned because she just looked so hungry. The girl I've been in love with since I was five. Katniss Everdeen. But she never notices me. No, all that she ever does is hunt and trade along with Gale Hawthorne. **

**Jealousy...that is what I'm feeling right now. **

**"Peeta, what are you doing? I don't want you working today. Go back to bed." I hear my father say suddenly. **

**"I can't. There is no way I could sleep now if I wanted to." I reply. I don't know why he even suggested that. His name was once in the reaping ball too. **

**"Okay. Then go get ready." He says. **

**"Sure, okay." I say. I go back up stairs to bathe. I've always wanted a shower, but even being from a merchant family doesn't get you perks like that in this district. We do have hot water though. I hear the people that live in the seam don't have that unless they boil it. The Everdeens live in the Seam...**

**By the time I am dressed and ready to go-physically of course; no one is ever mentally prepared for the reaping- the rest of my family is awake and ready too. Only two hours left until the Reaping. "Peeta!" My mother calls. My mother isn't the most caring person. Or the nicest. Or just nice at all, really. I'm definitely not her biggest fan, but I do love her. "I'm in the kitchen Mother." I call back, annoyed. Surely she is going to come down stairs and criticize everything I have done since I opened my eyes this morning. "Peeta...you look very handsome." She sounds genuinely suprised, which annoys me even more. "Thanks." It's all I say. I should appreciate her moment of kindness but my nerves are too shot to care. **

**The square is full of sobbing people. Of course there's also the people that are too numb to cry. That's me and my brothers. The peacekeepers direct me into a roped-off section of sixteen year old boys. **

**I can't help spotting her as she checks in. She's holding her younger sister tight. I'm almost certain her name is Primrose, and this is her first reaping. She must have just turned twelve.**

**The clock strikes two. Mayor Undersee approaches the microphone. He reads us the history of Panem, and how the Hunger Games came to be. When he's done with that, he lists district twelve's past victors. Just then Haymitch Abernathy appears, drunk as always. He takes his seat onstage next to Effie Trinket, our district's escort. He attempts to hug her, with no luck. **

**The mayor looks extremely embarrassed for his district. He quickly introduces Effie and backs away. Effie walks up to the podium with her bright smile and says, "Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor!" She tries telling us that it's an honor for her to he here. Everyone knows it's a lie. She then says, "Ladies first!" I feel a knot in my stomach as she reaches in the giant ball. I look over for Katniss but I can't seem to find her. The whole district seems to get silent as Effie walks back to the microphone with a small folded slip of paper, which may as well be a death certificate. 'Not Katniss.' I repeat to myself in my head. Effie speaks in a clear voice the name of the newest female tribute, "Primrose Everdeen." **

**I look over to see Katniss' little sister walking to the stage, her face frozen with fear. "Prim!" I hear someone yell. "Prim!" The voice screams again. Katniss Everdeen appears from the crowd and pushed her younger sister behind her. "I volunteer!" She yells desperately. "I volunteer as tribute!" **

**No! I want to scream. This can't happen. Effie Trinket is speaking but I hear nothing. Nothing except the voice in my head screaming that she is going to die. People around me are moving but I'm too frozen to do anything. I do not want this girl to die. The next thing I am aware of is watching Haymitch Abernathy fall off of the stage. That's when I decide that there is nothing I can do to save Katniss from death. Wait...no. She is strong. She's a hunter. She's a survivor. She can win this. She must win this. **

**Effie begins speaking again. "But more excitement to come! It's time to choose our boy tribute!" She takes a slip of paper and returns to the podium. Please don't be me, I think to myself. Please not me. The name echoes through the microphone and into the ears of everyone. "Peeta Mellark."**


	2. Chapter 2

Peeta Mellark. The shock I'm feeling must be just as readable on my face. I'm hoping for a volunteer, but I hear no one. I go up to the stage and take my place. I look back at my district for the last time. I am going to die.

The mayor says a few more words and signals for Katniss and I to shake hands. I give hers a reassuring squeeze, wishing that I could tell her that she isn't going to die. She will win. I will make sure of it. The Anthem of Panem plays as we are marched into the Justice Building.

The lead me into a room and leave me by myself. Now is the time that family and friends come for a last visit-a last goodbye. We only have one hour. The first person to enter is my Father. He very likely may be my only visitor. Who knows if my brother could handle it? And well...my mother has never been the type to show care to desperate people. The thought itself reminds me of the day I had actual interaction with Katniss Everdeen.

It was cold and raining outside. The door of the bakery was propped open to let out some of the heat. I was moving bags of flour when I hears my mother screaming at someone for digging through our rubbish. I automatically knew it was someone from the Seam. Who else would be so desperate? I stood behind my mother to watch Katniss Everdeen walk away from the shop.

My mother went to help a customer and I suddenly realized what I needed to do. It only took one look at her, -sitting by our apple tree- skin and bones, to see she was starving. Dying even.

I went back into the kitchen and took some of the bread that had almost finished baking. Hoping deeply that my mother wouldn't see me as I grabbed them. I guess the odds have never really been in my favor, because she noticed. As she screamed my name I jumped a little, and dropped the loaves directly into the fire. I got them out before it was too late. My mother screamed harsh words at me and hit me with a rolling pin. I didn't care though.

She told me to feed it to the pigs. I went outside and surely enough, she was still there. Watching me. I tried to avoid eye contact as I ripped burnt pieces of bread and gave them to the pig. When I was sure my mother wasn't looking I tossed the two loaves over to Katniss. I walked back into the bakery, and looked back just in time to see Katniss running away, bread in hand.

I have this flashback in an instant. My father says his goodbyes to me. I can see it in his eyes. He knows I am not coming home. Peacekeepers tell him that it's time to go. He walks out and Primrose Everdeen walks in. Not all the way in, just stands by the door. She's still crying. "Please don't kill her." It's all she says before walking out. I don't even know what to think about that. My next guest also surprises me. My mother enters the room and embraces me. That's when I notice that I have been crying. "Cheer up Peeta. District Twelve just might have a victor this year. She's a survivor, that one." She says softly. I take a look at my mother. It's true. Katniss Everdeen is a survivor. She can win these games. "I love you Peeta." My mother says, while tightly embracing me again. "I love you too." I say to her. A peacekeeper enters to let us know it is time for me to go.

We ride in a car to the train station. I've only been in a car twice. It's not a luxury many citizens in our districts enjoy. I notice that there are cameras everywhere. I should probably hide my tears. Crying will make me appear weak to my fellow tributes. Not that I stand a chance anyway.


End file.
